Apparatus for arc welding



Feb. 3, 1942. J. E. TRAINER 2,271,723

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Feb. 3, 1942.- J. TRAINER 2,271,723

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APPARATUS FOR ARC WELDING Original Filed June 16, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR.

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' APPARATUS FOR ARC WELDING Original Filed June 16, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet5 y 27120022 136 "a L E g [2 143 2 Y /25 i 2 Z N Z INVENT OR.

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APPARATUS FOR ARC WELDING Original Filed June 16, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 6mvsmox James E Trainer ATTORNEY.

Feb. 3, 1942. J. E.'TRAINER 2,271,723

APPARATUS FOR' ARC WELDING Original Filed June 16, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 75 1mm .llllllllfllllllll mlllllflllllllllflllllllllllll INVENIOR. James5. Train er FR X W v ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 APPARATUS FOR ARC WELDING James E. Trainer,Fairlawn, Ohio, assignor to The Babcock k Wilcox Company, Newark, N. 1.,a corporation of New Jersey Original application June 16, 1934, SerialNo.

Divided and this application October 25, 1938, Serial No. 236,844

1 20 Claims.

- This invention relates to welding machines and more particularly tothat class adapted to utilize the electric arc and in which a bare,coated or covered weldrod may be progressively fed to the weld.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the classmentioned so arranged that a weldrod feeding head is movablelongitudinally of the work seam being welded, and yet is adapted foroperation in a stationary position with the work seam movable relativethereto, whereby the same machine and weldrod feeding head may beutilized for either longitudinal respect to the work seam may beadjusted in planes at right angles to each other to provide the properweldrod inclination for the type of scam being worked upon, whether itbe either a longitudinal, transverse or a circumferential seam.

Another important feature of the invention is the feeding of the weldrodwith feeding rollers having a resiliently yielding frictional engagementwith the weldrod and normally automatically operated for a rate of feedsuitable for the type of work and materials used, but having a manualadjustment independent of the automatic feed.

The form of weldrod preferably used is that disclosed in the patent toapplicant 2,057,861, dated October 20, 1936, wherein the weldrod iscoated and the metallic core is formed with spaced projections whichextend at least through the coating to provide for electrical contact.

If desirable, the machine, as used for circumfer'ential and longitudinalwelds on tank bodies, penstocks and the like, may include a backing-upmember or a chill which is stationary for circumferential seams, whilethe work moves through a suitable work drive, but which may be movedlongitudinally of the work seam coincidentally with the weldrod feedinghead when the work being operated upon is, itself,

' stationary.

tion with suitable welding current and control circuits such asdisclosed in the copending application, Serial No. 730,852, filed June16, 1934, which has matured into Patent 2,135,129, of which the presentapplication is a division. Manual adjustment is provided for varying andsetting the rate of automatic feed, as well as an automatically actuatedadjustment of the automatic feed verying the latter in accordance withconditions at the are, or more broadly stated in accordance withconditions in the welding zone; the welding current circuit and thewelding current and weldrod feed control circuits, coordinated andcooperating for control of the conditions in the welding zone, providinga system which is especially adapted for the utilization of alternatingcurrent at the are.

With the foregoing features stated the invention will now be describedin connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a practicalform of the same and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine as adapted to the welding of acircumferential seam in, a tank body, penstook unit or the like, withthe elements being worked upon shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of my improved form of weldrodfeeding head showing the latter as welding a longitudinal seam;

Fig. 3 iso. top plan view of the weldrod feeding head shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation in the direction of the arrow H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the weldrod feeding head as shown in Fig.4 and in the direction of the arrows 55 of Fig. 4 or, in other words,this view is of the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 2; v

Fig. 6 iso sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, partly in section and in side elevation, ofthe angular adjustment for the weldrod in one plane, as also shown inFigs. 2 and 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, in side elevation, of the gear box shown inFig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a part sectional and elevational view in the direction of thearrows 99 shown in Fig. 7;

,The welding machine is operated in conjunc- Fig. 10 is a sectional viewon the line ill-l0 of Fig. 9 showing the upper rollers in place andoperatively engaging the weldrod, this arrangement being the one usedfor welding circum- 'ferential seams;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line li-ll of Fig. 9 and showing thelower rollers in place and operatively engaging the weldrod, thisarrangement being the one used for welding longitudinal seams; and

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig., 13 showing the alternativearrangement of the upper rollers engaging the rod for weldingcircumferential seams, and the electrical contact shoes turned at rightangles to the position shown in Fig. 13.

In detail:

with reference to Fig. 1, an upright frame M,

suitably constructed, preferably from structural steel members, hasguided therein, for longitudinal movement only, a horizontal beam Nmoving on the roller bearing members I and 2 carried by the frame M.

The horizontal beam N carries a longitudinally disposed rack I engagedby a pinion drive 4 driven through suitable reduction gearing 5 from theelectric motor 8 mounted on base I stationary with the frame M.

For carrying electric current to the weldrod feeding head to behereinafter described, brackets I on frame M support shaft 9 and thelatter carries reel ID on which is coiled the multiconductor cable llpassing over the guiding idler roll l2 joumaled on shaft [3 supported inbrackets l4 also mounted on frame M; the conductor cable II is led alongthe beam N to the vertical guideway l5 at the end thereof and in whichis the independent vertically adjustable column l5 held in position bylocking screws ll.

The work to be operated upon is indicated at O as a cylindrical memberin Fig. l, and rests upon longitudinally spaced pairs of rollers 18 andI! (only one of each pair being shown) suitably journaled as indicatedat 28 and 2|, respectively, upon stanchions 28 and 24 which areadjustable along a bed member 25; a motor 28, through appropriatereduction gearing 21 may drive one or more rollers of the pairs ofrollers I8 or I9 for the purpose of moving the work past the weldrodwhen a circumferential weld is being accomplished, the movement of beamN taking care of longitudinal welds.

Centrally of the transverse dimension of the Iii) bed 25 is an upright25' carrying a shaft 28" on which is journaled an idler 28. A cable 29passes over the idler 28 and one end 30 of the cable is connected to alongitudinally sliding backing-up member II having an adjusting jack 82engaging a weld seam backing-up strip 33 to assist in supporting thesame against the weld seam boundaries; the other end of the cable 28 ispassed under one of a group of idlers 84 journaled on shaft 85 andmounted in frame M, thence over one of a group of idlers 38 Journaled onshaft 81 mounted in frame M and attached, as at 38, to the forwardportion of beam N; similarly, one end of cable 89 is attached, as at 48,to the opposite side of backing-up member II from the attachment ofcable 29 and passes under its idler section 34, thence over itsparticular idler section 88 and is secured to the after end of beam N.

With the arrangement described in the foregoing paragraph it will beobserved that movement of beam N effects a corresponding movement ofbacking-up member 8|, and thus the weldrod and backing-up member. arealways automatically maintained in proper relative position forcooperation, either for a longitudinal, circumferential or transverseseam.

The weldrod feeding head is generally indicated in Fig. 1 by the letterP and is mounted at the lower end of the upright column l8 carried bythe front end of beam N to which it is secured by suitable studs orbolts 4| passing through the column l6 and entering the bracket 42 whichhas secured thereto a sector piece 48 held against displacement by boltsor studs 44 and key 45.

I refer now to Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 13 which show thedetails of my improved form of adjustable head, and the adjustment usedfor welding longitudinal seams.

A journal pin 45 is integral with or secured to the bracket 42 andextends outwardly therefrom at right angles, and is provided with athreaded member, such as either a stud or nut 41, at its outer end forpurposes of retaining the elements hereinafter described in. theirassembled relation with respect to journal pin 48 and bracket 42.

Mounted upon journal pin 45 is the movable frame 48, the lower portionof which is provided with bearings 49 and 58 (see Fig. 6), with bushingsas shown, and between which is received the worm gear 5| meshing withthe teeth of sector 43; the worm gear 5| is secured by a key 52 to theshaft 53 turning in the bushings of bearings 49 and 50, the shaft 53being held at one end against longitudinal displacement by the nut 54and washer 55 on the threaded extension 55, while the other end haskeyed thereto, as at 51, the bevel gear 58 secured in place by the nut59 on the threaded extension 58 of said shaft 53.

The frame 48 of the weldrod feeding head also has integral therewith abracket bearing 8| which journals shaft 62 secured against longitudinalmovement by the bevel gear 83 fixed thereto and engaging bevel gear 58and by collar 64; on the end of shaft 52 opposite bevel gear 88 is ahandwheel 85 held by a key (not shown) and nut 86.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description relative to themounting of the weldrod feeding head frame 48 on the Journal pin 48 thatmovement of the handwheel 65 will displace the said frame 48 angularlyby reason of the meshing bevel gears 58 and 63 which rotate shaft 53 andits worm 5|, which latter engages the fixed sector 43; the object ofsuch angular displacement of the welding head frame is to vary theangularity of the weldrod in one vertical plane, as will appear as thisdescription proceeds.

0n the top of the weldrod feeding head frame 48 is a bracket 51 securedby bolts 58 and having bearings 59 and 10 receiving the shaft II which,at one end, has keyed thereto a pinion 12 secured by nut 13 and engaginga rack 13 carried by frame 81, and at the other end bevel gear 14 iskeyed and secured to the said shaft ll (see Fig. 3). A bracket 15 heldto the frame 48 by bolts 16 carries a bearing 11 Journaling a shaft 18having keyed and secured thereto a bevel gear 19 meshing with bevel gearI4 on shaft ll, end play of shaft 18 being prevented by nut 88 andcollar 8| said shaft 18 has a handwheel 83 secured thereto andheldthereon by a nut 82.

In an upright plane at the side of frame 48 is the guide member fixedwith respect to the said frame 48 and having laterally extendingparallel guide surfaces 85 and 80 upon which the movably mounted member81 slides, the elements 08 and 09 being secured to member 8'! andoverlapping guide surfaces 85 and 86 as shown in Fig. 4 and held inplace by bolts or studs 90.

It will thus be evident that with the mounting above described, and thepinion and rack arrangement as set forth, motion of the handwheel 83will move the weldrod feed and adjusting mechanism lineally.

Thus far there are three movements described,-

firstly, the movement of the entire welding head P through travel of thebeam N, secondly, the angling movement of the weldrod feed and adjustingmechanism in the plane of movement of the entire welding head, thisbeing accomplished by the handwheel 55; and thirdly, movement of theweldrod feed and adjusting mechanism lineally in a plane transverse tothe movement accomplished by travel of beam N, but such movement byhandwheel 83 is purely local for adjusting purposes with respect to thewelding groove.

The weldrod feed and adjusting mechanism has also another movement andthat is angular movement in a plane of movement coinciding with theplane of movement by handwheel 83.

The movably mounted member 81 is formed at its outer end SI so that itprovides a transverse journal bearing 92, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, '7 and9, having its axis intersecting the axis of journal pin 46 and receivingthe pintle 93 of the gear housing 94 for the gears driving the weldrodfeeding rollers arranged in pairs X and Y at right angles to each other,the pair X being shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 9, 11 and 13 and for thepurpose of feeding the weldrod while welding a longitudinal seam, andthe pair Y being shown in Figs. 1, 10, and 14 and being for the purposeof groove, parallel to the axes of the rollers, and

remote from the sides of the groove.

The cap of the journal bearing 92 is recessed,

as is also the outer end SI of member 81 to accommodate a roller orfrictionless bearing 95 and the whole is held in assemble-d relation bybolts or studs 98, felt or other grease retaining rings 91 being locatedon each side of said bearing 95.

Extending through the bearing 95 is pintle 93 in the form of a sleevethreaded at one end into a gear casing 94 as shown at 99, said casingsupporting and carrying the pairs of weldrod feeding rollers X and Yabove mentioned. The sleeve 93 is prevented from working out "by the setscrew IIlI. .At the end opposite the threaded portion 99 of the sleeve33 is keyed, as at I02, the sector member I03 which also has keyed andbolted thereto as at I04 and I05, respectively, the rack I06. The rackI06 is engaged by a worm I? confined between bearings I08 and I09 of themember 8'1 which mount spindle N0 of handwheel Ill and to which spindleworm I01 is keyed, as at II2, so that motion of the handwheel III servesto tin or angle gear case 84 and with it the electrode or weldrod.

Mounted at the side of member 81 is a reduction gear housing I I3surmounted by a vertically positioned electric driving motor II4 whichis reversible and drives the horizontal shaft II5 through the medium ofthe reducing gear in housing I I3 and which may be of any usualcommercial type of the proper ratio and affording a right angle drive.

The outer end of shaft H5 passes through bearing support IIB carryingthe ball bearing II! and has keyed thereto the bevel pinion IIB meshingwith a similar bevel pinion I20 keyed to stub shaft I I9 and heldthereon by a nut, said stub shaft H9 passing through ball bearings I2Iin the sleeve 93 and the end opposite bevel pinion II8 carries a spurgear I22 keyed thereto and which bya system of spur gears to behereinafter described, serves to drive the pairs of electrode or weldrodfeeding rollers X and Y.

As stated, in case it is desired to weld a longitudinal seam the pair ofrollers X is used. The pair of feed rollers Xare mounted on stub shaftsI23 and I24 which, respectively, carry feed rollers I25 and ,6 of thepair X keyed thereto as shown, the rollers each having a resilientweldrod engaging face such, for instance, as rubber. Shafts I23 and I24are mounted in ball bearings I21, I28 and I29, I30, as shown, and spurgears I3! and I3I' are keyed to the shafts I23 and I24 and intermesh.The spur gear I3I has a double width face and meshes with spur gear I22so that as shaft H5 is rotated by electric motor I I4 the pair ofweldrod feeding rollers X rotate to positively feed the electrode orweldrod gripped therebetween and indicated by the letter Z.

Also spur gear I22 engages idler spur gear I32 mounted on stud I33 andwhich, in turn, meshes with spur gear l34 keyed, as shown, to shaft I35;shaft I35 is mounted on ball bearings I36 and I3Iv and carries bevelgear pinion I38 meshing with bevel gear pinion I39 keyed to shaft I40 ofa pair of shafts, the other of which is MI and which are mounted in ballbearings I42, I43 and I44, I45, as shown.

The shafts I40 and I4! have keyed thereto meshing spur gears I46 andI41, respectively, and at their outer ends may be mounted the rollersI48 and I49 constituting the pair, of weldrod feed rollers Y, eachresiliently or yieldingly faced in the same manner as the pair X,

III)

rollers I48 and I49 may be readily removed and when circumferentialseams are being made the rollers I25 and I28 may be readily removed.

The weldrod Z shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is of the covered type and hasformed thereon spaced bumps 300 which extend through the covering andare adapted to be engaged by contact shoes in the casing 30I forconducting the welding current to the rod. It will be observed that Ihave shown in Fig, 13 the bumps 300 as being at right angles to a planenormal to the axes of the rollers X, the reason being to preventengagement under pressure of the hard metalbumps with the rubber formingthe surface of the rollers, which engagement might cause undue wear ofthe latter. This arrangement also has the advantage of maintaining thebare contact projections 300 remote from the walls of the welding grooveto prevent the formation of an are between the bare area and the groovewall.

The casing "I is suspended from the head by means of a swivel joint "Iso that the casing may be turned about the axis of the weldrod toprovide for the just described desirable arrangement of the weldrod androller' in welding both longitudinal and circumferential seams.- Thc nut303 serves to secure the casing 3M in either position.

The contact shoes within the casing 3!, but not shown, ai'e held incontact with the bare areas on the weldrod by means of arms 3 which arepivoted at their outer endsin slots 305 at opposite ends of a bracketmember 306, each pair of arms being connected by a spring 301 undertension to provide resilient engagement of the shoes with the weldrod.The electrical connection to the casing, and through the shoes to theweldrod, is conveniently made at terminal 308.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that regardless of the angularposition of the weldrod due to the movement of handwheels 65 or III, orthe change in horizontal position of the weldrod feeding head'due tomovement of the handwheel 83, the feeding mechanism of the weldrod willnot be thrown out of action.

While I have-shown one preferred embodiment of my invention it will beobvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issuceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing fromthe spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as arespecifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a welding machine, a welding head and support therefor, said headhaving a weldrod guiding and feeding means carried by said support,means for angularly adjusting the weldrod about axes intersectingsubstantially in the line of weldrod travel, means for bodily moving thesupport including the head, and means for moving the head independentlyof the support.

2. In a welding machine, a welding head and a support therefor, saidhead having weldrod guiding and feeding means, means including saidsupport for moving said head bodily, and means independent of saidsupport for varying the direction of weldrod feed in intersecting planesalong lines having a. common intersection.

3. In a welding machine, a welding head comprising relatively movablemembers, one of which is supported by the other, and means for lineallymoving said members relatively, one of said members having weldrodfeeding means and each having means for angularly adjusting thedirection of weldrod feed.

4. A welding machine including a welding head having separate means forselectively mounting weldrod feeding rollers for rotation in differentplanes, and means for angularly adjusting said head in said planes.

5. In a welding machine, a welding head having means for supporting-apair of weldrod feeding rollers for rotation about parallel axes locatedin a given plane, and means for supporting said rollers for rotationabout other parallel axes located in a parallel plane, a pair of rollersfor support by said means, and means for angularly adjusting thedirection of weldrod feed about intersecting axes in an intermediateplane.

6. In a welding machine, a welding head having means for supporting apair of weldrod feeding rollers for rotation about parallel axes locatedin a given plane and means for supporting said rollers for rotationabout other parallel axes located in a parallel plane, a pair of rollerssupported by one of said means, and means angularly adjustable relativeto said axes for electrically contacting a weldrod fed by said supportedrollers.

7 A welding machine for eifecting both longitudinal and transverse weldsand comprising a support adapted to carry work to be welded, a weldinghead carried by the support, a set of rollers, means carried by the headincluding said rollers providing for the gripping and feeding of aweldrod toward the work when it is desired to weld in a longitudinaldirection with respect to the work, a second means carried by the headincluding said rollers and spaced along the line of weldrod travel fromthe first named means and providing for the feeding of the weldrodtoward the work when it is desired to weld in a transverse directionwith respect to the work, said means providing for rotation of saidrollers in different planes in the different positions.

8. A welding head including means comprising rollers, at least one ofwhich is driven, adapted to engage a coated weldrod having bared currentcontact spots therealong longitudinally aligned and at least flush withthe surface of the coating, and electrical contact means adapted toresiliently engage said bared spots, said rollers and said electricalcontact means being arranged to engage said weldrod at circumferentiallyspaced locations, said welding head having means selectively providingfor rotation of said rollers in transversely related planes and meansproviding for angular adjustment of the electrical contact means aboutthe line of weldrod travel.

9. In a welding machine, a welding head having weldrod feeding means, asupport for said head, means independent of said support for angularlyadjusting the direction of weldrod feed about axes intersecting in apoint common to the adjusted lines of weldrod travel, and means foradjusting the location of said point relative to said support.

10. In a welding machine, means adapted to support a work plate, awelding head having means for feeding a weldrod relative to said plate,a backing-up member adapted to engage said work plate on the sideopposite said head, means for supporting said head including a membersupported beyond an edge portion of said plate and adapted to move saidhead to and from the welding area, and means for moving said weldinghead and backing-up member in unison to and from said welding areaincluding movement from and to a position clear of said plate, saidmeans for moving including connections between said members extendingaround a single edge portion of said plate.

11. In a machine for welding a seam interior-1y of.anopen ended shell, awelding head having means for feeding a weldrod toward the inne wall ofsaid shell, an exteriorly supported member adapted to move said head toand from a welding area interiorly of saidshell, a backing-up memberadapted to engage the outer wall of said shell, and means for movingsaid welding head and backing-up member in unison longitudinally of saidshell to and from the welding area ineluding connections between saidmembers at one end only of said shell.

12. Welding apparatus comprising a support having an extension adaptedto project inwardly of an open-end shell from a location outside, awelding head mounted on said extension and having means for feeding aweldrod toward the inner wall of said shell, means for adjusting theangularityof weldrod feed in a plane containing the axis of said shelland in a plane normal to said axis about a center common to the adjustedlines of weldrod travel, means for moving said extension and head bodilyfor adjusting the position of saidfeeding means longitudinally of saidshell, and means for moving said head independently of said extensionfor adjusting the position of said feeding means transversely of 7 saidcomponents incorporating weldrod feeding means and power means fordriving said feeding means, said components having means for angularlyadjusting the direction of weldrod feed about intersecting axes, andmeans for moving said components relatively longitudinally of an axis ofadjustment.

14. In a welding machine for utilizing icoated weldrods having ametallic core with projections spaced therealong extending through thecoating of said weldrod at least to the outer surface thereof to providebare electrical contact areas, a welding head having means for feedingan electrode of the type described with said bare areas exposedlongitudinally of a seam to be welded comprising rollers rotatable aboutaxes extendmeans for angularly adjusting the weldrod about axesintersecting substantiallyin the line of weldrod travel.

16. In a welding machine, means for moving a weldrod in the direction ofits length, and means for adjusting said weldrod in intersecting planesabout axes which intersect one another in the path of weldrod movement.

17. A welding head having means for feeding a welding electrode, meansfor rotatably adjusting said head including 'said feeding means aboutintersecting axes of rotation, and means for directing said electrodethrough the point of intersection of said axes of rotation for alladjustments of said head.

18. Welding apparatus comprising a welding electrode, and means foradjusting said electrode in intersecting planes about axes whichintersect one another in the longitudinal axis of said weldingelectrode, said adjusting means also functioning as a holding means formaintaining said means for feeding a weldrod relative to said plate, abacking-up member adapted to engage said work plate on the side oppositesaid head,

means for supporting said head including a member supported beyond anedge portion of said plate and adapted to move said head to and from thewelding area, and means for moving said welding headand backing-upmember in unison to and reversely from said welding area, said means formoving including flexible connections between said members extendingaround a single edge portion of said plate.

JAMES E. TRAINER.

